Monday, June 4, 2012

Top Chef Canada Season 2: Episode 12: Judges nail Chrystian

We are sad that Chef David Chrystian is gone and will not be around for the finale because it has been one wild ride. Chrsystian showed a rather unique crash and burn style in the Top Chef kitchen. Amazing and on top with one dish or bad and on the bottom with another. Some great dishes of late included his Chicken Soup Terrine, a Fire Roasted Fish (he is allergic to fish) and a Kraft Dinner Grilled Cheese. Chrystian may not have earned the title of Top Chef but he did take the KD crown. . Once again if you have missed his Top Chef Canada audition video it is worth watching. Chef Chrystian makes a Turducken Tower, inspired by the CN Tower, and really shows off his unique style and approach to cooking. We also liked the fact he says his favorite Chef is Martin Picard. We think a culinary pilgrimage to his restaurant at the Drake Hotel in Toronto seems rather inevitable.

With the show going into the finale we think it will be very exciting because it is really anyone’s game. Here are our impressions of the remaining Chefs going into the finale.

Trevor Bird (2 Quickfire wins): Regardless of the outcome of Top Chef his post show endeavors has Bird following his lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant: Fable. His kitchen staff includes fellow competitor Curtis Luk. The concept of Fable is from farm to table and the concept was born during this season’s episode of Restaurant Wars. The Top Chef experience has definitely been an inspiration to the Chef who really seems to be enjoying the cooking challenges. This new found enthusiasm and passion in the kitchen might be the added advantage in taking the Top Chef title.

Jonathan Korecki (2 Quickfire & 2 elimination wins): Korecki's soup has not become Connie DeSousa’s sausage because the judges have not yet tired of what seems to have become his signature item or secret weapon. Will he serve up soup in the finale? We found it a bit odd that his plating was so off in last week’s fashion challenge only because his platings have been so creative to date.

Carl Heinrich (2 Quickfire & 3 elimination wins): The quiet Chef seems to have come under the radar but slow and steady just might win the race. Also given he is only 26 years-old we can only imagine what his future culinary career will be like. We know we are starting to sound like a broken record by repeating ourselves but he is the safe bet in choosing a winner. Heinrich seemed to be beating himself up about his 2 bottom finishes of late but he is also hot off two back to back wins.